Why large files won’t go through by email
Email was designed for messages, not media. Every provider caps the size of a message, attachments included, and the encoding used for attachments makes a file roughly a third bigger on the way out. A 4K clip from a phone, a folder of RAW photos or a print-ready PDF passes those caps in seconds.
| Service | Limit | What happens above it |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail (personal) | 25 MB per email | The file is replaced by a Google Drive link |
| Outlook.com | 25 MB per email | Share it from OneDrive instead (up to 2 GB) |
| Microsoft 365 (work) | 35 MB by default | Your admin can raise it, up to 150 MB |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB per email, in and out | The file is too large to attach |
| iCloud Mail | 20 MB, or 5 GB with Mail Drop | Mail Drop links expire after 30 days |
| 2 GB per document | Photos and videos sent as media are compressed | |
| Discord (free) | 20 MB per file | Nitro raises it to 50 MB or 1 GB |
| Transfr (free) | 100 GB per transfer | Pro removes the size limit |
The fix is the same everywhere: upload the files once, then send a link. The link weighs nothing, works in any inbox or chat, and the person on the other end downloads the files at full quality. Our guide to sending large files by email covers each mail provider in detail.
How to send large files with Transfr
Step 1
Add your files or folders
Open Transfr and drag your files onto the page, or pick them from your computer or phone. Folders keep their structure, and there is no limit on the number of files, only on the total size: 100 GB per transfer on the free plan.
Step 2
Choose a link or an email
Get a link to paste anywhere (Slack, WhatsApp, a text message, a client portal), or type up to 10 email addresses and Transfr sends the download email for you. You can also pick a custom link such as transfr.me/your-project.
Step 3
Set the options you need
Pick how long the files stay online (1 to 7 days on the free plan), cap the number of downloads, add a password, or turn on end-to-end encryption. None of these require an account.
Step 4
Send and share
Transfr uploads the files in parallel parts, then shows your link. Your recipient opens it in any browser, previews images, videos, PDFs and documents, and downloads one file or everything at once.
Send up to 100 GB now
No account, no app to install. Drop your files and get a link in a few clicks.
What is the best way to send large files?
It depends on how big the files are, who receives them and whether you need them back. Here is how the usual options compare for a one-off delivery.
| Method | Free size limit | Recipient needs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Email attachment | 20 to 35 MB | Nothing | Small documents |
| Cloud drive link (Google Drive) | 15 GB of storage, shared with Gmail and Photos | Access rights set correctly | Files you keep working on together |
| Messaging app (WhatsApp, Telegram) | 2 GB per file | The same app | Quick personal shares |
| WeTransfer Free | 3 GB per transfer, 10 transfers per 30 days | Nothing | Occasional small transfers |
| Transfr Free | 100 GB per transfer, unlimited transfers | Nothing | Large deliveries, no account |
| USB drive or SSD | The drive’s capacity | To be in the same place | Terabytes, or very slow connections |
Cloud drives are good for shared, living folders, but they fill up your quota and the files stay there until you clean up. A transfer service is built for delivery: the files expire on their own and the recipient never needs to sign in. See Google Drive versus a transfer service for when each one makes sense.
How long does it take to upload a large file?
Upload time depends on your upload speed, which is often much lower than your download speed on home connections. The table shows the theoretical time at full speed; plan for a little more in practice. Our upload time guide explains how to measure your own connection.
| Size | 10 Mbps | 50 Mbps | 100 Mbps | 300 Mbps | 1 Gbps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 13 min | 3 min | 1 min 20 s | 27 s | 8 s |
| 10 GB | 2 h 13 min | 27 min | 13 min | 4 min | 1 min 20 s |
| 50 GB | 11 h 7 min | 2 h 13 min | 1 h 7 min | 22 min | 7 min |
| 100 GB | 22 h 13 min | 4 h 27 min | 2 h 13 min | 44 min | 13 min |
Send large files by size
Each size has its own trap: the 25 MB email cap, the 2 GB ceiling of many apps and file systems, the 50 GB that rules out most free plans. These guides give upload times and the right method for each one.
- Send files larger than 25 MB, when an email bounces
- Send files over 2 GB, past the WhatsApp and Telegram caps
- Send a 10 GB file for free, for long 4K videos and big projects
- Send 50 GB for free, for full shoots and project archives
- Send a 100 GB file, the free plan’s upper limit
Send large files by type
- Send large video files without recompression
- Send large photos in full resolution
- Send RAW photos to clients
- Send a large PDF
- Send a folder without zipping it
- Send a large ZIP file
- Send large audio files and stems
- Send Photoshop and design files
- Send CAD and 3D files
Send large files from your inbox, phone or app
- Send large files via email
- Send large files with Gmail
- Send large files with Outlook
- Send a large video on WhatsApp
- Send a large video by text message
- Send large files on Discord without Nitro
- Send large files from an iPhone
- Send large files from Android
- Send large files from a Mac
- Send large files from Windows
How to send large files securely
A download link works like a key: anyone who has it can open the transfer. For anything confidential, add one or more of these protections. All of them are included in the free plan.
Password
Recipients must type the password before they can see or download anything. Share it through a different channel than the link.
End-to-end encryption
Files are encrypted in your browser before upload. The key lives in the link, after the #, and is never stored on our servers. How it works.
Expiry date
Free transfers expire after 1, 3, 5 or 7 days, then the files are deleted from storage. Pro keeps them up to 60 days.
Download limit
Allow a single download, or 5, 10, 100… The link stops working once the limit is reached.
Storage region
Files are stored in Western Europe by default. You can pick North America, Asia-Pacific or Oceania to be closer to your recipient.
Encrypted storage
Every transfer travels over TLS and is stored encrypted at rest with AES-256.
For a full checklist, read our page on secure file transfer and the guide to password-protected transfers.
Free or Pro: what changes for very large files?
| Free | Pro (€15/month, or €12/month billed yearly) | |
|---|---|---|
| Size per transfer | 100 GB | Unlimited |
| Number of transfers | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Availability | Up to 7 days | Up to 60 days |
| Password, encryption, download limit | Included | Included |
| Download notifications | With a free account | Included |
| Send & Track (who opened what, from where) | No | Included |
| Your logo, background and domain | No | Included |
Most people never need more than the free plan: 100 GB covers hours of 4K video or tens of thousands of photos. If you send big files every week, see what sending large files for free really includes, or compare plans on the pricing page.
Need someone to send you large files?
Create a file request instead of asking people to find a transfer service. You get a link (and a QR code) where anyone can drop up to 100 GB, and you receive an email when the files arrive. Learn more about receiving large files.
Your files, delivered in full quality
100 GB per transfer, free, with no account on either side.
Send large files for free
- Up to 100 GB per transfer
- No account needed
- Encrypted and hosted in Europe